‘PC policing both silly and scary’

The Toronto Police Service is revamping its communications policy to ensure the use of “appropriate human rights themed language,” and hopes to have guidelines for officers ready by the fall.

The draft policy asks officers to avoid using potentially offensive terms like “mulatto” and “queer,” along with cultural identifiers, such as describing a suspect as Portuguese. (…)

Ms. Gray said the guide, which is still in the draft stage and targeted for completion by fall, encourages officers to consider all language they use “with a human-rights lens.” It does not contain a list of banned terms, she explained, but rather a framework for communications.